


Fumes

by harrylee94



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: 2d Bendy AU, Angst, inhaling ink fumes is bad for you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 18:58:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11258952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harrylee94/pseuds/harrylee94
Summary: Walking through a poorly ventilated building filled with ink is not good for your health.





	Fumes

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set in [shinyzango's](http://shinyzango.tumblr.com/) [2D Bendy AU](http://shinyzango.tumblr.com/tagged/2D-Bendy-AU) and was brought along by a thought that's been running through my head for a while now. I hope you all enjoy!

With everything that was happening, what with the Searchers and the devil circles and Bendy being alive and Joey apparently having gone insane, Henry had forgotten something. Something that any man who had ever called himself a cel animator should have remembered; heat and ink did not mix well. It wasn't something that was overly noticeable really, not at first, just that familiar smell of ink that just got everywhere. That really should have been the first clue. But then he'd found Bendy, and things had only gotten crazier.

But now, hand resting against the wall after battling the latest wave of Searchers, Henry finally remembered as he felt himself sway unsteadily on his feet, blinking spots and darkness from his eyes.

"Shit," he huffed, moving to rest his head against the wall, closing his eyes in the hopes that that would help in some way. It didn't.

" _Henry?_ " Bendy's worried voice called up to him from his page. " _Y'alright?_ "

Blinking an eye open, Henry forced himself to smile down at the toon in his hand and nodded. "Yeah buddy," he said. "Just feeling a little dizzy is all."

Bendy continued to look up at him in worry, clutching at his hands as he watched. " _I... I can help,_ " he suggested. " _If ya need a break, I can-_ "

"No," Henry told him, voice firm. "You need to rest. Taking shape outside your page really... really takes it out of you buddy. You've got to rest." He swallowed, taking another deep breath and blinking a little before pushing himself upright and starting down the corridor. If he could find a clean room, or a window...

" _Ya really don't look too good Henry_ _,_ " Bendy told him, holding Henry's thumb from where he was clutching the page. " _Maybe we should **both** rest._ "

Unable to argue, Henry simply nodded, picking his axe up from where it lay abandoned on the floor and started to trudge through the ink swollen corridors. His leg still ached, and so his progress was slower than he would have hoped, being forced to limp rather than walk properly, checking each and every door he passed for some form of refuge, but each and every time it seemed his efforts were thwarted.

It was along this journey that Henry found his breathing becoming increasingly heavier, and he'd started to stumble. He'd stopped noticing the smell of ink a long time ago now, but he could definitely feel the effects of the fumes.

" _Henry?_ "

He swayed dangerously, blinking sluggishly as the world tilted on its axis, and he hissed as his shoulder hit the wall.

" ** _Henry!_** "

The once animator groaned as he tried to push himself off the wall but only managed to slip further down it, lower trousers becoming saturated with ink once more.

" _Henry, talk to me!_ " Bendy exclaimed, tugging at his thumb in desperation. " _C'mon pal! Say somethin'!_ "

Henry gasped and swallowed, eyes falling languidly down to the page in his hand. "Sorry bud," he muttered, smiling down at him, only to cough, keeping him from continuing his sentence as he tried to catch his breath.

The Dancing Demon's eyes shrank with work, his figure shaking as he clutched at Henry's thumb. " _S-sorry?_ " he repeated. " _S-sorry for w-what?_ " He smiled and chuckled nervously. " _Is... hehe... Is this some sort of joke? Cuz ya got_ _me! Y' can stop now!_ " He fidgeted when Henry failed to answer, the man's eyes beginning to slip shut. " ** _HENRY!_** "

The man jolted, shaking his head before looking down at Bendy with an apologetic smile. "Sorry buddy, I'm not... feeling so good."

 " _What is it? Tell me what's happenin'! Did one of them ink monsters get ya? Please! Let me help!_ "

"I-" Henry started, only to start coughing again, and he ended up dropping Bendy's paper to keep himself balanced as he hacked his lungs out into his hand. Moments later the level of ink in the corridor sank and he felt a large hand on his back as Bendy made a noise of worry. "Air," he wheezed. "I need... air."

At first Bendy didn't seem to understand what he meant, humming in question, but he hoisted Henry into his arms all the same. Time passed, Henry wasn't really sure how much exactly as things had started to get a little hazy, and it was becoming harder and harder to breathe, but at some point they arrived in a surprisingly cool and fresh smelling room, and Henry took in a deep lungful of air. Yes. This was perfect.

He didn't know how long he was there for, breathing in the blessedly fresh air, but he slowly started to find it much easier, the pain that had started to build in his chest fading and the spots fizzing and fading away. When he felt he had recovered enough, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, and then to sit up, leaning over his legs from where he'd been placed on the ground.

Looking around he found himself looking around at a fairly large room with several drawing tables, a high ceiling, and a glorious ventilation system, whirring away in the corner he was in, filtering the fumes out of the air. But where was "Bendy?"

" _... Hen-ry?_ " came a small, weak voice at the other end of the studio.

Henry immediately scrambled up, charging after the voice and finding Bendy's page sitting on the edge of an ink puddle, where he lay on his line, deep shadows under his eyes as he shook and shivered in exhaustion. "Oh no Bendy," he muttered, picking the page up. "What did you do?"

The tiny toon simply smiled up at his, inky tears in the corners of his eyes. " _Are you... better now... Henry?_ "

"Yes, yes I'm all better," Henry replied, taking the page with him back to his corner as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket. "You did good buddy. Why don't you have a good rest now, yeah?" He pulled the room he and Bendy had drawn together out of his wallet and placed the two sheets next to each other as he held his finger out to help the poor fella.

" _Mmm,_ " Bendy murmured, reaching out for the finger to pull himself up, then tripped and swayed and stumbled his way between the two pages before collapsing atop his bed, humming happily when Henry brushed at his head in a soothing manner.

"Thanks bud," Henry muttered, settling in the seat. "You saved my life."

**Author's Note:**

> You find a link to this on [tumblr](https://harrylee94writes.tumblr.com/post/162088661284/fumes-harrylee94-bendy-and-the-ink-machine).


End file.
